American University of Armenia
Encyclopedia
The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, nonsectarian, independent university founded in 1991 in Yerevan
, Armenia
. Its creation inspired in the aftermath of the 1988 Leninakan Earthquake
, the university is the first Armenian institution modeled on Western-style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service.
The university currently offers instruction leading to a master's degree
in the following eight fields of study: business administration, industrial engineering
and systems management
, computer
and information science
, political science
, public health
, law
, comparative legal studies, and teaching English as a foreign language
. By offering these programs in English, AUA strives to become accessible to qualified individuals from other countries in the region.
Qualified students may complete an interdisciplinary Certificate in Environmental Conservation and Research. In preparation for the academic program, AUA offers its students instruction in the English language and in computer applications.
in 1988, a number of earthquake engineers
from the West arrived to Armenia to help in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector
of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor
of Civil Engineering
at the University of California, Berkeley
, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia.
The proposition was narrowed to the express goal of creating a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus
at the University of Southern California
, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean
of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside
, presented their proposal for the university to the Armenian government.
Two institutions were noteworthy in realizing the establishment of AUA: the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(AGBU) and the University of California
(UC). In addition, the Armenian government—in particular the Ministry of Higher Education and Sciences (now the Ministry of Education and Science)—offered financial and logistical support for the university from the start in the face of the turbulent political and economic circumstances in Armenia from the period of 1989–1991. The AGBU underwrote a significant portion of the operational funding required to establish AUA. When the UC was asked for its assistance in founding the university, David P. Gardner
, then president of the University of California, appointed a task force
led by then Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs William R. Frazer to evaluate the possibility of an affiliation between the AUA and the UC. After the task force's visit to Armenia in July 1990, the Regents of the University of California
voted unanimously in favor of an affiliation with the university. Through this affiliation, the UC provides technical support and experience for the growth of AUA and collaborates with the AUA in preparing a cadre of faculty for the university. When on September 21, 1991 Armenia declared its independence, AUA began instruction with 101 students.
's organization "American Schools and Hospitals Abroad," the AUA made an investment of about $
300,000 in order to repair and technically reequip the building.
The Papazian Library is the only open-stack library in Armenia. While the enrollment of AUA is around 440, the subscription base of the University library is over 10,000.
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
. Its creation inspired in the aftermath of the 1988 Leninakan Earthquake
Leninakan Earthquake
The Spitak Earthquake was a tremor with a magnitude of 6.9, that took place on December 7, 1988 at 11:41 local time in the Spitak region of Armenia, then part of the Soviet Union...
, the university is the first Armenian institution modeled on Western-style higher education, committed to teaching, research, and service.
The university currently offers instruction leading to a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in the following eight fields of study: business administration, industrial engineering
Industrial engineering
Industrial engineering is a branch of engineering dealing with the optimization of complex processes or systems. It is concerned with the development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, materials, analysis...
and systems management
Systems management
Systems management refers to enterprise-wide administration of distributed systems including computer systems. Systems management is strongly influenced by network management initiatives in telecommunications....
, computer
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
and information science
Information science
-Introduction:Information science is an interdisciplinary science primarily concerned with the analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information...
, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
, law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, comparative legal studies, and teaching English as a foreign language
English language learning and teaching
English as a second language , English for speakers of other languages and English as a foreign language all refer to the use or study of English by speakers with different native languages. The precise usage, including the different use of the terms ESL and ESOL in different countries, is...
. By offering these programs in English, AUA strives to become accessible to qualified individuals from other countries in the region.
Qualified students may complete an interdisciplinary Certificate in Environmental Conservation and Research. In preparation for the academic program, AUA offers its students instruction in the English language and in computer applications.
History
Following the Leninakan EarthquakeLeninakan Earthquake
The Spitak Earthquake was a tremor with a magnitude of 6.9, that took place on December 7, 1988 at 11:41 local time in the Spitak region of Armenia, then part of the Soviet Union...
in 1988, a number of earthquake engineers
Seismic retrofit
Seismic retrofitting is the modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion, or soil failure due to earthquakes. With better understanding of seismic demand on structures and with our recent experiences with large earthquakes near urban centers,...
from the West arrived to Armenia to help in the reconstruction of the disaster zone. In 1989, Yuri Sarkissian, then rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute, suggested to Armen Der Kiureghian, Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, that an Armenian technical university based on the Western model ought to be established to foster educational progress in Armenia.
The proposition was narrowed to the express goal of creating a graduate university on the American model. Der Kiureghian and another earthquake engineer, Mihran Agbabian, Professor Emeritus
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, set out to realize the goal. A number of American and Armenian academics supported the concept of the university. Der Kiureghian and Agbabian, along with the late Stepan Karamardian, formerly Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
, presented their proposal for the university to the Armenian government.
Two institutions were noteworthy in realizing the establishment of AUA: the Armenian General Benevolent Union
Armenian General Benevolent Union
The Armenian General Benevolent Union abbreviated as AGBU, is a non-profit Armenian organization. It was established in Cairo, Egypt in 1906...
(AGBU) and the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
(UC). In addition, the Armenian government—in particular the Ministry of Higher Education and Sciences (now the Ministry of Education and Science)—offered financial and logistical support for the university from the start in the face of the turbulent political and economic circumstances in Armenia from the period of 1989–1991. The AGBU underwrote a significant portion of the operational funding required to establish AUA. When the UC was asked for its assistance in founding the university, David P. Gardner
David P. Gardner
David Pierpont Gardner was the 17th president of the University of California and was also the president of the University of Utah.-Biography:...
, then president of the University of California, appointed a task force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
led by then Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs William R. Frazer to evaluate the possibility of an affiliation between the AUA and the UC. After the task force's visit to Armenia in July 1990, the Regents of the University of California
Regents of the University of California
The Regents of the University of California make up the governing board of the University of California. The Board has 26 full members:* The majority are appointed by the Governor of California for 12-year terms....
voted unanimously in favor of an affiliation with the university. Through this affiliation, the UC provides technical support and experience for the growth of AUA and collaborates with the AUA in preparing a cadre of faculty for the university. When on September 21, 1991 Armenia declared its independence, AUA began instruction with 101 students.
AUA Paramaz Avedisian Building
Barsam Building
On October 6, 2005, it was announced that Vartkes and Hasmig Barsam were donating the Hye Business Suites Hotel (opened in 1990) to the AUA. During the ceremony, Vartkes Barsam stated that the Armenian Business Hotel Complex is delivered to the management of the American University of Armenia (AUA) for the purpose of assisting the program on enrollment of regional and foreign students; previously, the Board of Trustees of the AUA Corporation resolved to rename the suites to the AUA Vartkes and Hasmig Barsam Building. With financial assistance of the USAIDUnited States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
's organization "American Schools and Hospitals Abroad," the AUA made an investment of about $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
300,000 in order to repair and technically reequip the building.
Papazian Library
The Papazian Library came into existence in 1991 when AUA was established. It is named after the Papazian family, a generous benefactor of the American University of Armenia. For the past 19 years the Library has evolved at a rapid pace, implementing contemporary methods of management and technology.The Papazian Library is the only open-stack library in Armenia. While the enrollment of AUA is around 440, the subscription base of the University library is over 10,000.